At the Ski Lodge
by Awesomerigby
Summary: Daphne tries to make sense of the disastrous night, and she has to get some answers.


At the Ski Lodge

Though Niles had suggested everyone forget the night before- that disastrous first night at the ski lodge- something about it was really bugging Daphne. She wasn't sure if she should keep it to herself or talk to anyone about it, especially since the night had been so awkward it would have been better to just forget it happened. Still, it that was easier said than done. And in the end, she decided to take some action.

Everyone was out enjoying the snow. Guy was trying to teach Annie how to ski, but unfortunately, she ended up face first in the snow most of the time. Martin was trying to coax Frasier into giving it a try, but the elder Crane brother was not so willing. Martin did not try and get Niles to ski, probably because he knew his younger son had the worst balance out of anyone on Earth.

"How about you, Daph?" Martin asked.

Daphne shook her head. "Not now, at least. I'm just content in sitting over here, watching the snow." She looked over at Niles who was standing, his arms crossed, his eyes fixed on the dreary snow producing sky.

"Well, I'm going to head inside," Martin announced. "Gonna get me some hot buttered rum."

"That sounds good, Dad," Frasier said. "I'll join you. Annie, Guy, would you like some rum?"

Annie used her hands to push herself back on her feet and grinned. "Great! Whoa!" She nearly fell but Guy set her upright. "Just let me get out of these skis."

"Be right there," Guy said. He and Annie got out of their skis and followed Frasier and Martin inside the cabin. Guy avoided looking at Niles as they walked, and Niles was glad he did.

"You can join them," Niles said once he and Daphne were alone.

"No. I like it out here. Dr. Crane, sit with me?"

He smiled and took a seat next to her on the wooden bench she had been sitting on. "It's lovely. The snow."

"Mmm. Yes, it is. Dr. Crane…" Daphne asked after a brief moment of silence. "Can I ask you something?"

"Anything."

She looked down at her hands which were in her lap, and twiddled her fingers nervously. "I know you said to forget what happened last night, but… there's something that's on my mind."

Niles bit his lip. He would have preferred not to talk about it, but how could he ever deny Daphne? "Go ahead."

"Well… Dr. Crane- your brother, not you- expressed disappointment in the fact that no one was chasing him. And, frankly, I find that odd. Not that no one was chasing him, but because no one was chasing me either."

Niles tensed.

"What I mean is," Daphne continued, "Dr. Crane was chasing Annie, Annie and Guy were chasing you… So, who was chasing after me?" She finally looked up at him, to see that his normally pale face had gone red. "Dr. Crane?"

He looked up at the sky- anything to avoid her smoldering chocolate eyes- and said, "Well… perhaps you took Frasier's words too literally and…" He trailed off, knowing there was nothing he could say that could fix this.

"Dr. Crane… I thought about it all last night, and… you were chasing me, weren't you?"

At the feeling of her hand against his, Niles finally looked at Daphne. She was smiling softly. "Yes. When I told Annie I wanted her, I thought she was you. Everything I said to her was something I had wanted to tell you."

"What took you so long?"

"Maris, mostly. And my nerves. I've never been the most confident of people, and I was afraid of what you might say. You liked Guy anyway."

Daphne mused on that. She really didn't know anything about Guy. He was handsome and very talented, but he never spoke to her as Niles did. Niles had everything that attracted Daphne to Guy and more. She couldn't believe it took her until just now to realize… Daphne leaned in and pressed her lips against Niles.

"Silly," she muttered.

"Daphne?" he asked when she pulled away.

"In the back of my head, I always harbored feelings for you. It wasn't until just now that I realized how strong they were. Never thought something like you could love someone…" She was cut off by his lips.

His arms went around her waist, and his head was starting to feel dizzy. "Don't," he said and pressed his forehead to hers. "How could I not love you? Someone so kind and gentle and loving? I love you, Daphne." The words were soft, and he meant them with all his heart.

Daphne smiled. "I love you, too, Niles."

The End

Author's note: I wrote this for my 200th follower on Tumblr, and I realized I never shared it here! :)


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